Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky Open to Listing Hotels and Flights
Speaking at Skift Global Forum 2026, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky walked back his anti-hotel stance, stating he is open to adding brands like Hilton and Marriott.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky admitted he was wrong to hold a strict ideological opposition to hotels.
- The platform currently lists over 4,000 hotels and plans to expand into Paris and London.
- Chesky confirmed the company already sells car rentals and will eventually offer flights.
Eighteen years after co-founding Airbnb, CEO Brian Chesky is reshaping his perspective on the travel industry by softening his long-held resistance to hotels and standard online travel agency offerings such as car rentals and flights.
Speaking at the Skift Global Forum 2026 in New York City, Chesky stated that he would be open to listing mainstream hotel chains like Hilton and Marriott on Airbnb "at some point," a move he previously believed might feel too jarring for the company's brand identity.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Airbnb has already integrated more than 4,000 hotels into its platform—primarily boutique and independent properties across New York, San Francisco, and Spanish cities—with Paris and London slated as the next markets. Chesky noted that this shift was driven by traveler behavior, as guests booking single nights, last-minute stays, or business trips frequently look for hotels, and his former stance was pushing them directly to competitors like Booking.com and Expedia.
Airbnb's strategic pivot toward standard lodging and transport options highlights an effort to capture broader segments of business and convenience-driven travelers. By onboarding independent hotels first, the company tests the waters without alienating its core audience. Meanwhile, upcoming AI integration is expected to tailor search results so that chain hotels are shown exclusively to users seeking them, balancing mainstream utility with the platform's community-driven roots.
Addressing the company's broader expansion, Chesky mentioned that Airbnb has moved past its traditional reluctance regarding standard commodities, having already introduced car rentals with plans to incorporate flight bookings in the future.
"We've gotten over a little bit of our religion of no commodities, but I will say the vast majority of our supply will always be unique."
Brian Chesky
When asked if it would be incorrect to label Airbnb an OTA, Chesky remarked that the description would be "incomplete." He emphasized that unlike conventional online travel agencies, Airbnb operates as a community defined by high-engagement metrics, averaging three guests per booking.
Source: Skift
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